Under Blue Skies
by renisanz
Summary: While off-world with Ronon, Jennifer takes time to play.


**Title: **Under Blue Skies**  
Author:** renisanz**  
Summary: **While off-world with Ronon, Jennifer takes time to play.**  
Category:** Romance**  
Rating: **G**  
Wordcount: **806**  
Warning/Spoilers:** Shameless fluff, just because. I think just about every Ronon/Keller fic makes some reference to "Quarantine."**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own these characters. This is simply for fun, not profit.**  
Notes: **OSL Ficathon prompt: _blue sky, laughing._ I like the idea of adults being playful. I meant for this to be more of a drabble, but it's hard for me to write something with no immediate plot. This is for **dayana82**'s shippy heart. Did a self-beta on this one, so sorry for any errors.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jennifer tumbled to a stop at the base of the hill. The laughter of the village children rang in her ears as she rolled from her stomach onto her back to gaze up at the sky. The sun's warming rays broke from behind the shield of fluffy clouds, and Jennifer squinted against the light.

"Let's go again," the high voice of one of the girls shouted, and Jennifer looked up to see the copper-haired girl of about six years standing over her.

Jennifer sat up then, smiling up at the girl. That had been her fifth roll down the hill, and, as much fun as it was, she wasn't a kid. The collective treks up the steep, grassy hill had winded the young doctor."You go ahead, sweetie. I think I'm gonna take a breather."

"Ok," the girl chirped, unfazed. Jennifer watched at the little one's feet kick into a blur of moment as she ran to catch up with the other children.

The ground around her dimmed as a shadow fell over her, and Jennifer turned to face a pair of brown leather pants. She tipped her head back to look up into Ronon's amused face.

"Hey," she greeted as she tucked her knees under her body, preparing to stand.

"Hey." Ronon held out his hand and she took it, allowing him to pull her up.

The world still spun from the dizzying tumble down the hill, and Jennifer stumbled back.

A strong warm arm wrapped around her waist, steadying her. "Whoah," Jennifer mumbled, bracing her hands against his chest. "I forgot about that side effect."

Realizing that Ronon probably had not come out to play, she asked, "You ready to go?"

"No rush," he shrugged. "Still got a bit of time."

A flu-like illness had plagued the town, and for the last two days, Jennifer had been working to treat the infected. She proceeded to take measures to immunized the rest of the townspeople. Jennifer had anticipated staying only a day, but the village elders insisted they accept their offer of hospitality, and Jennifer had thus agreed that she and Ronon would stay overnight.

Ronon still had his arm around her waist, and Jennifer wondered when he would release her, though she didn't mind it at all. She had chalked up what had almost happened between them during the quarantine lock-down to the heat of the moment, but sometimes, like now. . .she just wasn't sure if there was something more.

"Uhm," Jennifer cleared her throat, trying unsuccessfully not to blush. "You want to sit a while?" She nodded towards the copse of trees a few meters behind them. It was a beautiful day, and Jennifer wanted to enjoy it a little longer. Not to mention, it had been storming for three straight days on Atlantis. The the city shield was raised to protect them, but it did nothing for the gloom.

Ronon shrugged again, and Jen took that as an affirmative as she made her way to the shade. Once there, she crumbled down to the ground, her legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles as she leaned back against her elbows. The grass was soothingly cool against the underside of her forearms and palms. Ronon sat down beside her and adjusted himself into a similar position.

"Ok, so. . ." Jennifer trailed off, she glanced over at Ronon and to see a smirk tugging up, the corners of his mouth.

"What is it?" she asked.

Ronon pursed his lips, and his eyes flicked to a spot on top of her head. "You got. . . ," he reached up, and Jennifer felt something being tugged away from the strands of her hair. "Stuff in your hair," he finished, as he held a long, dried blade of grass before her eyes.

_Oh_. Jennifer realized her hair must look like a rat's nest by now. No wonder Ronon was smiling. With a huff, Jennifer tugged the elastic from her hair, and then ran her fingers through the blonde lengths in a attempt to brush out the grass. She saw a few several blade fall into her lap, and after a few seconds, she turned to Ronon. "Better?"

Jennifer watched as Ronon reached out over once more, and he began pulling more blades of grass and leaves from her hair. Then his hand smoothed down her hair and Jennifer closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation. Ronon ran his hand down the side of her head until it came to rest against her cheek, cupping her jaw. It was then that Jennifer cracked her eyes open, saw Ronon lean forward. Their noses touched, and he paused.

It was left to her to make the next move, to answer his unspoken question.

Tilting her chin up, Jennifer closed the breath's distance between their lips.

In the distance, the young girls giggled.


End file.
